Jean Holmes says it was the photo of the turtle that got to her. “I have a picture of myself bending over to pat a big turtle. When I saw the photo, I thought, ‘I’m as big as that turtle!’” Holmes, a resident of Bellingham, decided she had to do something about her size and started going to Curves Fitness Center in Bellingham plaza every day after working at Stall Brook School. “I get off at 10:30 and come straight here. I’m here six days a week, unless it’s closed because of bad weather,” Jean explained. As we spoke, the conversation and laughter of the other women who had come to exercise filled the room.

Jean walked into Curves and was greeted by owner Diane Andrade. Andrade presented Jean with a bouquet of flowers and a pink T-shirt, with “1000th workout” emblazoned across the front, an acknowledgement of her persistence and determination to take care of herself. Although it was her “official” 1000th workout, Jean has actually completed many more, having been coming to Curves since 2000, faithfully exercising every day. A new system the organization has now counts each participant’s visits, giving feedback, noting which machines they need to focus on more, and providing an accounting of calories burned within the previous month.